Another Bygone - Daytona Racing on the 4th of July

I know we still have a summer event at Daytona, but to me it's never been quite the same since they moved the race off of the 4th of July. We used to have the Firecracker 400 on the actual date of July 4th, regardless of what day of the week it fell. The Speedway's publicity department used to bill it as "America's Largest Independence Day Celebration." The race actually started at 10:00 a.m. in the morning - in order to avoid Daytona'sinevitable afternoon thunderstorms. Seizing on the early morning start time, the Speedway used the advertising slogan, "At the track at ten, on the beach by two."

I guess the first Firecracker 400 I listened to on the radio was in 1964 when the Mopar hemis staged a furious battle for the win between AJ Foyt, Bobby Isaac and Jimmy Pardue, with AJ prevailing at the finish line.

Fourth of July at Daytona was more laid back than February Speedweeks. Those of us like me with families took our children to Daytona in July, but not in February. It was a real family feelaround the motel pools. The kids of drivers, media, sponsors, owners, crew members all played together. The beer in the lounges off those pools was always the coldest on the circuit. I remember the track security guards being sure that owner's wives like Bernece Wood and Betty Moore had really good parking spots at the fence facing pit road in what served asthe Late Model Sportsman garage compound in February. I also remember they used to bring a lot of good food to share.

On race day morning, I usually got out to the track around 4:00 a.m. to start hanging banners and the July 4th sunrise was always spectacular.

My most unforgettable July 4th Daytona race was In 1984. I was representing 7-Eleven and we were sponsoring Daytona's Twin 125-mile February qualifying races. Because of that, my wife and I had invitations to Bill France, Senior's private suite for the visit by President Ronald Reagan. The President gave the "Command" to start engines enroute while airborne. Seeing Air Force One setting down just behind Daytona's backstretchwith the electric blue and STP red #43 car in the foreground heading towards turn 3 would give any American goosebumps. It sure gave 'em to me. Years later, it would turn out that my future brother-in-law was flying Air Force One Security and was a particular favorite of Nancy's. Richard scoring his 200th win that day was icing on the cake. Doesn't get any more spectacular than seeing the King and Cale rubbing sheet metal heading to the yellow flag to determine the winner that 4th of July.

My wife and I were also fortunate to have an invitation to the private 4th of July picnic with the President in the garage compound. If I was ever around a million NASCAR races, the moment my wife and I always remember is when Bill France, Senior put his arm around Ronald Reagan and said, "What is this old man s__t they keep talking about?" Then from behind a curtain appeared Tammy Wynette who broke into her famous song, "Stand by Your Man" as she also put an arm around President Reagan. I rememberthe President eating KFC and the sad memory of Bobby and Judy Allison and the Pettys, Richard and Lynda -sitting with him, not knowing of the tragedy that lay ahead for both of those "First Families" of NASCAR.

When I think back to my most unforgettable races, that one is probably at the top of the list.

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

I agree Dave. I started going to the July 4th event in 1962 and I don't even think it was a 400 then. I remember many times during my working life when the 4th not a weekend and I would leave work at 5:00 p.m., drive all night, watch the race, drive back and then work the following day. Once, about 1973, several of us went in my car and when we got there about 3:00 a.m., I put a sleeping bag by the car and went to sleep. When I woke up, there was a motorhome tire on my sleeping bag, about 6 inches from my head. That was exciting! But I loved in on July 4th. Having it on Saturday night closest to the 4th just is not the same. Just another reason the "good ole days" appeal to me so much. Thanks for the memories.

Tim

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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.

My July 4ths were like this most years. At the track by 3:30 to 4:00 ispections started at 4:30. All cars had to be on the starting grid no later than 9:00am. By that time you didn't have a dry thread of clothing on due to the heat and humidity you would be praying for a breeze to come your way.Take turns eating a dried out sausage bisquit or cold gravy and grits.I normally would just stay on pit road to watch the cars to make sure no one tampered with them them everyone would report to there prespective area where they were to work by then it was in the upper 80's normally and when the race started it was a real blessing because you knew in about three hours if all went well you would be heading to the beach. In the mean time if you were on pit road you could hardly breath and your shoes that were damp from the sweat were now burning your feet and when you walked up and down pit road the tar in the crevices of the asphalt was sticking to your leather bottom shows and adding to the burning of your feet. Some would get water out of the coolers and pour in your shoes or boots that would help until it turned to steam. Also when the cars would come down pit road they were blury coming at you do to the heat waves coming off of the asphalt.We sometimes would get a red rag and put ice in it and tie the four cornors and put it under your hat and that helped some.When the race was over and all cars were through inspection then you could go to the beach at about 3:00 or so by then you were totally spent that what ever you drank just came out as sweat almost as fast as you drank it. When you got to the motel if you made it to the bed you didn't go anywhere else till the 5th of July. That was a normal july 4th for me back in the good ole days.

Mike, I had not even considered what you guys with NASCAR went through in those days so we fans could enjoy our racing. I do remember one year, late 70s, when it was already like 95 at 10:00 a.m. Very early in the race I was down to just swimming trunks. I was putting a beach towel in the ice chest, getting it soaked, and then wrapping up in it to stay cool. Thankyou, Mike, for all you did in those days for us fans and thank you for reminding me of the fun I had in those days.


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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.

Tim I am sure that Dave would also tell you even as miserable as it was at times we would not have been anywhere else even had we had an option at that moment. I thank Dave for the walk down memory lane as we approach this July 4th holiday...

Would she be talking about....good shape, BB...or beat up...lol.


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Founder/Creator - RacersReunion®

A simple answer to that BB is 0 on crewman and drivers. And the answer to Jeff is both. Had he not been as tough as he was when his health issues started he would be much worse off today. Those early days I think helped him survive the last few years. Of course having his nurse from Hell also played a big role ..

Mike & Billy,

That heat and humidity was awesome at Daytona in July, wasn't it. Whenever I walked out of the motel my glasses would fog over. During my years at Wrangler I had to wear 14 ounce denim jeans, as did the crews for Osterlund, Stacy, Bud Moore and Richard Childress. After about two minutes out of the room you could feel the sweat running down your back and over the crack of your a__. My memory tells me that Daytona in July, Darlington on Labor Day and Talladega in August were the most brutal. However, I - unlike you two fellows - could duck into an air conditioned media center every now and then. I can't imagine having to work that Paul Revere race and the GN. Seems like Billy Hagan and Herschel McGriff's son-in-law (Marilyn's husband) used to get involved in that, too.

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"